Tape handling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A winding, storing and unwinding device for paper tape including three support pins mounted in horizontal alignment. A cup-shaped, cylindrical container is mounted for free rotation and quick removal upon each of the pins. A tape punch and tape reader are located adjacent to the pins. During operation tape passes from the punch through a guide into the container on the first pin and frictional engagement between the tape and the wall of the container causes the container to rotate on the pin. When the container is filled in this manner, it is transferred to the second pin and its leading edge is withdrawn and introduced to the reader from which it passes into a similar freely rotating storage container on the third pin.

United States Patent [72] inventors Jack J. Rejsa Minneapolis;

Roy L. Swanson, Richfield, both of, Minn. [2]] App] No. 857,530 [22] Filed Sept. 12,1969 [45] Patented July 20, 1971 [73] Assignee The Pillsbury Company Minneapolis, Minn.

Continuation of application Ser. No.

653,547, July 14, 1967, now abandoned.

[54] TAPE HANDLTNG APPARATUS 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. I [52] U.S. Cl 242/55. 21,

. 234/79 [51] Int. Cl B65h 1.7/48 [50] Field of Search 242/5521, 55.l8,.55.l9, 68.3; 352/128; 234/79 82, 84'

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1938 Kleerup Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor Attorneys-Ronald E. Lund and James V. Harmon ABSTRACT: A winding, storing and unwinding device for paper tape including three support pins mounted in horizontal alignment. A cup-shaped, cylindrical container is mounted for free rotation and quick removal upon each of the pins. A tape punch and tape reader are located adjacent to the pins. During operation tape passes from the punch through a guide into the container on the first pin and frictional engagement between 1 the tape and the wall of the container causes the container to rotate on the pin. When the container is filled in this manner, it is .transferred to the second pin and its leading edge is withdrawn and introduced to the reader from which it passes into a similar freely rotating storage container on the third pin.

TAPE HANDLING APPARATUS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLlCATlONS This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 653,547, filed July 14, 1967, and now abandoned.

TAPE HANDLING APPARATUS The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling and processing strip material and more particularly to an improved apparatus for unwinding, storing and rewinding strip material such as paper punch tape of the kind used in business machines.

in the field of business equipment, it is common practice for punch tape that has been prepared in the tape punch mechanism of a teletypewriter or computer readout to fall from the tape punch mechanism into a storage box or onto the floor. The leading end of the tape is later picked up by hand and introduced into a tape reading device such as a reader of the type suited for sensing the presence or absence of punch openings. This system is not only inconvenient but in addition, it allows the tape to become damaged or lost. Although devices have previously been proposed for winding paper and recording tape, they require an electric drive motor or hand winding spring motor for turning a spool or other support to take up the tape as it is punched. These drive mechanisms are both complicated in construction and expensive to produce.

The tape, moreover, is wound up with its leading edge on the inside of the spool. Accordingly, it must be removed and rewound before it can be replayed in the punchedsequence.

It has also been previously proposed to wind up strip material such as photographic film in a rotating cylindrical container. These devices depend in part for successful operation upon the fact that photographic film is a relatively stiff material. Moreover, they are complicated in construction and are suited only for winding but not rewinding the film.

In view of these and other deficiencies of the prior art, it is one object of the present invention to provide an improved handling system for paper tape that is suited for winding, storing and unwinding paper tape without the requirement for a powered auxiliary or manual drive.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus of the type described which is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to produce and highly effective under a variety of operating conditions.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus of the type described which permits the tape to be unwound in the same direction that it is wound.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved tape handling apparatus of the type described which will effectively protect the tape from being damaged or lost.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus of the type described in which windu and storage assemblies are selt threading.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved tape winding apparatus suited for handling relatively flexible material such as punch paper tape.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus of the type described which is adapted to receive and store paper tape carrying recorded information and transfer the tape through a reader to a second storage location in the same direction as punched.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will become apparent in view of the following specification and claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the tape container.

As seen in the drawings, the invention is employed in connection with a teletypewriter, printer and reader of wellknown commercially available construction indicated generally at W including a typewriter 12, an information recording system such as a tape punch 14 and a reader 16. The tape punch 14 can be operated either by signals sent from the typewriter through conductors R8 or by means of an impulse sent from the computer 2t through conductors 22.

The tape in its unpunched condition is stored on a reel 24 mounted for rotation upon a horizontal shaft 26 so that the tape 28 which is withdrawn passes to the inlet 30 of the punch 14 over a sprocket 32 which drives the tape during operation through the punch. The tape passes out of the punch through an opening 34.

The tape handling apparatus indicated generally at 35 will now be described. The tape passes from the punch into a selfthreading guide 36 which consists of a flattened tube having a generally rectangular cross section. The guide 36 curves downwardly and is secured at its lower end to a supporting framework 40 formed from sheet metal or other material and having a horizontally disposed upper surface 42 and an inclined sidewall 44. Secured to the sidewall 44 are three bearings consisting of pins designated 46, 48 and 50 which define respectively a punch tape windup and storage location, a tape unwind to reader station and a tape windup station for tape that has passed through a reader. The sidewall 44 is positioned to maintain the pins at an angle of about 30 with respect to a horizontal axis. Each of the pins 46, 48 and 50 is provided with a detent which can be formed for example from spring wires 47, 49 and 51.

The guide 36 terminates in a slot 52 in the sidewall 44 to provide an opening for the portion of tape designated 54 passing from the guide 36 to the storage location adjacent pin 46. Windup and storage containers 46a, 48a and 50a are mounted at times upon pins 46, 48 and'50 for free rotation as will be described more fully below.

Between the slot 52 and the pin 48 is an opening 55 cut through both the sidewall 44 and the upper surface 42. The tape passes upwardly through slot 55 from the storage container 48a to the reader 16. The tape passes from the opening 55 into the reader through an inlet opening 60 over a sprocket 62. it is then passed out through an outlet opening 64 into a guide 66 that is rigidly secured at its lower end to the upper surface 42 of the framework 35. The tape travelling downwardly through the guide 66 passes through the opening 68 in wall 44 and enters the container 50a.

As can be clearly seen in FIG. 1, the slot 52 is located between the periphery of the storage container 460 and the pin 46, preferably no closer than about one-half inch to the center, i.c. the pin 46, and spaced a sufficient distance from the wall 70 to provide space for accumulated tape. The opening 55 is located adjacent to wall 70. The opening 68 is located a position similar to 52 relative to the sidewall of the container 500 and the pin 50. Openings 67 and 69 are provided in the upper surface 42 to facilitate manual feeding of the tape if this becomes necessary.

The windup and storage containers or cylinders 46a, 48a and 56a will now be described. The containers are identical and accordingly only one will be described in detail. Each consists of a cylindrical sidewall 70, a flat circular bottom wall 72, a centrally located tubular member or sleeve 74 which in operation is mounted for rotation upon one of the pins 46, 48 or 50.

Each of the containers is provided with a cover 76 having a centrally located discontinuity such as a projection 78 adapted to just fit within the sleeve 74 of a similar container placed above it so that the containers can be stacked. The cover 76 is also provided with downwardly depending lip 80 of the proper size to just fit over the sidewalls 70. In this way large numbers of the containers with their covers can be placed in a stack without being able to slide toward the side.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described. The tape from the storage reel 24 is distributed to the punch 14 through an inlet opening 30. The punch is then operated. As the tape is punched, the sprocket 32 will drive the tape from left to right as seen in the figures into the self-threading guide 36. The leading edge of the tape 28 will pass out through the slot 52 and will enter the container 46a with the leading edge striking the lower right-hand inside surface of the wall 70. Contact between the tape and the inside surface of the storage container 46a will cause the storage container to rotate slowly in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1 on the pin 46. No surface preparation is needed to increase the coefficient to friction between the tape 28 and the container. The containers can be formed from any of a variety of materials such as injection molded transparent polymethylmethacrylate. it will be seen that the leading edge of the tape 28 will be located on the outside surface of the container. The trailing edge will be located on the inside surface.

The storage container 46a can then be stored or immediately fed through the reader 16 by placing the container on the pin 48. To run the tape through the reader, the outermost end, i.e. the leading end of the tape, is then drawn through the opening 55 and is fed to the reader 16 through the inlet opening 60 over the sprocket 62 which during operation drives the tape from left to right as seen in the figures through the outlet opening 64, through guide 66, opening 68 and into the windup storage location for the tape which has passed through the reader. It should also be noted that the leading edge of the tape will pass through the reader in the same sequence as through the punch and it will be wound up in storage container 50a in the same direction as originally wound in the container 460.

The present invention is simple in construction and requires no drive motors or hand-operated crank. Moreover, the storage assemblies are self-threading and'self-feeding. The forward motion of the tape itself induces rotation to the storage containers which function as a receiver and takeup for the tape as well as for a storage container. The tape when unwound and passed through the reader will travel in the same direction as it did through the punch. The tape at all times is protected from damage or loss. The apparatus is also well suited for a variety of materials including paper tape which is relatively flexible.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Tl-le specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A tape handling apparatus of the type having a recorder and reader comprising:

a generally vertically extending supporting framework;

a recording means mounted upon the upper portion of the supporting framework;

a first windup and storage assembly comprising a first bearing member mounted upon the lower portion of the framework and being outwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the vertical extent of the framework, the bearing member adapted to receive a cylindrical container mounted for free rotation about its center on the bearing member;

first guide means including a portion leading downwardly to the lower part of the framework and having an inlet positioned at. the upper portion of the framework adjacent the recorder for receiving the tape from the recorder and an outlet positioned at the lower part of the framework for discharging the tape, the guide means being supported by the framework so that the outlet is radially disposed from the first bearing member whereby a cylindrical container, when placed upon the first bearing member, receives the bearing member and the outlet of the guide means within the annular extent of its sidewall so that tape passing through the guide means is discharged at least partially under gravitational action from the guide means and impinges against the sidewall of the cylindrical container to rotate the container in the direction that the tape is travelling;

an unwind assembly comprising a second bearing member mounted on the lower part of the framework for receiving a cylindrical container, the second bearing being outwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the vertical extent of the framework;

second guide means for guiding the tape from the unwind assembly to a reader means;

a reader means mounted upon the upper portion of the framework;

a second windup and storage assembly comprising a third bearing member mounted upon the lower part of the framework and being outwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the vertical extent of the framework, the third bearing member adapted to receive a cylindrical container mounted for free rotation centered on the bearing member; and

a third guide means including a portion leading downwardly to the lower part of the framework and having an inlet positioned at the upper part of the framework adjacent the reader for receiving the tape from the reader and an outlet positioned at the lower part of the framework for discharging the tape, the-third guide means being supported by the framework so that the outlet is radially disposed from the third bearing member whereby a cylindrical container, when placed upon the third bearing member, receives the bearing member and the outlet of the third guide means within the annular extent of its sidewalls so that tape passing through the third guide means is discharged at least partially under gravitational action from the guide means and impinges against the sidewall of the cylindrical container to rotate the container in the direction that the tape is travelling;

and an angled frame member mounted upon the generally vertically extending supporting framework and comprising an inclined sidewall secured to the framework at its bottom edge and inclined outwardly from the framework .at its upper edge, and an upper wall secured at its inner edge to the framework and at its outer edge to the upper edge of the inclined sidewall, and wherein each of the bearing members is mounted perpendicularly to the inclined sidewall so as to be oriented in an outwardly and downwardly extending position, the upper wall and the inclined sidewall having openings therethrough for receiving the guide means.

2. in a tape handling apparatus of the type having a recorder and reader and means for feeding tape to the recorder and reader, the improvement comprising:

a generally vertically extending framework;

a bearing member operativelymounted upon the framework, the bearing member being outwardly and downwardly oriented with respect to the generally vertically extending framework;

a cylindrical container having means for centrally mounting the container for free rotation upon the bearing member, an annular backwall and an inwardly extending cylindrical sidewall connected to the outer annular extent of the backwall; and

a flattened tube having an inlet for receiving the tape and an outlet for discharging the tape, the tube being secured to the framework and passing between the framework one portion of the sidewall of the container into the interior of the container and having a downwardly facing outlet adjacent the interior of the sidewall of the cylindrical wall, the flattened tube having a width greater than one-half of the width of the sidewall and being spaced from the sidewall of the container whereby the tape can pass downwardly from the guide means at least partially under gravitational action and impinge against the sidewall at an angle between the tangent and normal to the cylindrical sidewall, thereby causing the sidewall to rotate in the direction that the tape is travelling and thereby progresedge to the framework and at its outer edge to the upper edge of the inclined sidewall, and wherein the bearing member is mounted perpendicularly to the inclined sidewall so as to be oriented in an outwardly and downwardly extending position, the upper wall and the inclined sidewall having openings therethrough for receiving the flattened tube. 

1. A tape handling apparatus of the type having a recorder and reader comprising: a generally vertically extending supporting framework; a recording means mounted upon the upper portion of the supporting framework; a first windup and storage assembly comprising a first bearing member mounted upon the lower portion of the framework and being outwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the vertical extent of the framework, the bearing member adapted to receive a cylindrical container mounted for free rotation about its center on the bearing member; first guide means including a portion leading downwardly to the lower part of the framework and having an inlet positioned at the upper portion of the framework adjacent the recorder for receiving the tape from the recorder and an outlet positioned at the lower part of the framework for discharging the tape, the guide means being supported by the framework so that the outlet is radially disposed from the first bearing member whereby a cylindrical container, when placed upon the first bearing member, receives the bearing member and the outlet of the guide means within the annular extent of its sidewall so that tape passing through the guide means is discharged at least partially under gravitational action from the guide means and impinges against the sidewall of the cylindrical container to rotate the container in the direction that the tape is travelling; an unwind assembly comprising a second bearing member mounted on the lower part of the framework for receiving a cylindrical container, the second bearing being outwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the vertical extent of the framework; second guide means for guiding the tape from the unwind assembly to a reader means; a reader means mounted upon the upper portion of the framework; a second windup and storage assembly comprising a third bearing member mounted upon the lower part of the framework and being outwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the vertical extent of the framework, the third bearing member adapted to receive a cylindrical container mounted for free rotation centered on the bearing member; and a third guide means including a portion leading downwardly to the lower part of the framework and having an inlet positioned at the upper part of the framework adjacent the reader for receiving the tape from the reader and an outlet positioned at the lower part of the framework for discharging the tape, the third guide means being supported by the framework so that the outlet is radially disposed from the third bearing member whereby a cylindrical container, when placed upon the third bearing member, receives the bearing member and the outlet of the third guide means within the annular extent of its sidewalls so that tape passing through the third guide means is discharged at least partially under gravitational action from the guide means and impinges against the sidewall of the cylindrical container to rotate the container in the direction that the tape is travelling; and an angled frame member mounted upon the generally vertically extending supporting framework and comprising an inclined sidewall secured to the framework at its bottom edge and inclined outwardly from the framework at its upper edge, and an upper wall secured at its inner edge to the framework and at its outer edge to the upper edge of the inclined sidewall, and wherein each of the bearing members is mounted perpendicularly to the inclined sidewall so as to be oriented in an outwardly and downwardly extending position, the upper wall and the inclined sidewall having openings therethrough for receiving the guide means.
 2. In a tape handling apparatus of the type having a recordEr and reader and means for feeding tape to the recorder and reader, the improvement comprising: a generally vertically extending framework; a bearing member operatively mounted upon the framework, the bearing member being outwardly and downwardly oriented with respect to the generally vertically extending framework; a cylindrical container having means for centrally mounting the container for free rotation upon the bearing member, an annular backwall and an inwardly extending cylindrical sidewall connected to the outer annular extent of the backwall; and a flattened tube having an inlet for receiving the tape and an outlet for discharging the tape, the tube being secured to the framework and passing between the framework one portion of the sidewall of the container into the interior of the container and having a downwardly facing outlet adjacent the interior of the sidewall of the cylindrical wall, the flattened tube having a width greater than one-half of the width of the sidewall and being spaced from the sidewall of the container whereby the tape can pass downwardly from the guide means at least partially under gravitational action and impinge against the sidewall at an angle between the tangent and normal to the cylindrical sidewall, thereby causing the sidewall to rotate in the direction that the tape is travelling and thereby progressively radially inwardly winding the tape so that the leading edge of the tape is radially outwardly positioned with respect to the trailing edge of the tape; and an angled frame member mounted upon the generally vertically extending supporting framework and comprising an inclined sidewall secured to the framework at its bottom edge and inclined outwardly from the framework at its upper edge, and an upper wall secured at its inner edge to the framework and at its outer edge to the upper edge of the inclined sidewall, and wherein the bearing member is mounted perpendicularly to the inclined sidewall so as to be oriented in an outwardly and downwardly extending position, the upper wall and the inclined sidewall having openings therethrough for receiving the flattened tube. 